Cascade polymer complexes, process for their production and pharmaceutical agents containing said complexes

Abstract

Cascade polymer complexes with at least 16 ions of an element of atomic numbers 20 to 29, 39, 42, 44 or 57-83, useful NMR or x-ray lymphography imaging.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for contrast enhanced NMR or x-ray lymphography imaging in a human or animal which comprises administering a contrast enhancement effective amount of a contrast agent to the human or animal and generating an enhanced image by NMR or x-ray of at least a part of the lymphatic system thereof, wherein said contrast agent is a nitrogen-containing cascade polymer, said polymer consisting essentially of: 
       a) a complexing ligand of general formula I  
       
         
           A—{X—[Y—(Z—<W—K w > z ) y ] x } a   (I)  
         
       
        in which  
       A stands for a nitrogen-containing cascade nucleus of base multiplicity a,  
       X and Y, independently of one another, stand for a direct bond or a cascade reproduction unit of reproduction multiplicity x or y,  
       Z and W, independently of one another, stand for a cascade reproduction unit of reproduction multiplicity z or w,  
       K stands for the radical of a complexing agent,  
       a stands for numbers 2 to 12,  
       x, y, z, and w, independently of one another, stand for numbers 1 to 4,  
        provided that at least two cascade reproduction units are different and that for the product of the multiplicities,  
       
         
           16≦a·x·y·z·w ≦64  
         
       
        holds true,  
       b) at least 16 ions of an element of atomic numbers 20 to 29, 39, 42, 44 or 57-83,  
       c) optionally one or more cations of inorganic and/or organic bases, amino acids or amino acid amides, and  
       d) optionally, one or more acylated terminal amino groups.  
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1 , wherein in the complexing ligand of formula (I), A means a nitrogen atom,                    
       in which 
       m and n independently stand for numbers 1 to 10,  
       p stands for numbers 0 to 10,  
       U 1  stands for Q 1  or E,  
       U 2  stands for Q 2  or E with  
       E meaning the group                    
        whereby  
       o stands for numbers 1 to 6,  
       Q 1  stands for a hydrogen atom or Q 2  and  
       Q 2  stands for a direct bond,  
       M stands for a C 1 -C 10  alkylene chain which optionally is interrupted by 1 to 3 oxygen atoms and/or optionally is substituted with 1 to 2 oxo groups,  
       R 0  stands for a branched or unbranched C 1 -C 10  alkyl radical, a nitro, amino, carboxylic acid group or for                    
       whereby the number of Q 2  elements equals the base multiplicity a.  
     
     
       3. The method of claim  1 , wherein in the complexing ligand of formula (I), cascade reproduction units X, Y, Z and W, independently of one another, stand for 
       E,                    
        in which  
       U 1  stands for Q 1  or E,  
       U 2  stands for Q 2  or E with  
        E meaning the group                    
       whereby  
       o stands for numbers 1 to 6,  
       Q 1  stands for a hydrogen atom or Q 2 ,  
       Q 2  stands for a direct bond,  
       U 3  stands for a C 1 -C 20  alkylene chain, which optionally is interrupted by 1 to 10 oxygen atoms and/or 1 to 2—N(CO) q ,R 2  radicals, 1 to 2 phenylene radicals and/or 1 to 2 phenylenoxy radicals and/or optionally is substituted by 1 to 2 oxo, thioxo, carboxy, C 1 -C 5  alkylcarboxy, C 1 -C 5  alkoxy, hydroxy, C 1 -C 5  alkyl groups, whereby  
       q stands for numbers 0 or 1 and  
       R 2  stands for a hydrogen atom, a methyl or an ethyl radical, which optionally is substituted with 1-2 hydroxy or 1 carboxy group(s),  
       L stands for a hydrogen atom or the group                    
       V stands for methine group                    
        if at the same time U 4  means a direct bond or group M and U 5  has one of the meanings of U 3  or stands for group                    
        if at the same time U 4  and U 5  are identical and mean the direct bond or group M, and M stands for a C 1 -C 10  alkylene chain which optionally is interrupted by 1 to 3 oxygen atoms and/or optionally is substituted with 1 to 2 oxo groups.  
     
     
       4. The method of claim  1 , wherein in the complexing ligand of formula (I), at least one complexing agent radical K bound to the terminal nitrogen atoms of the last generation of reproduction unit W stands for a radical of general formula IA or IB                    
       in which 
       R 1 , independently of one another, stand for a hydrogen atom or a metal ion equivalent of atomic numbers 20-29, 39, 42-44 or 57-83,  
       R 2  stands for a hydrogen atom, or a methyl or an ethyl radical, which optionally is substituted with 1-2 hydroxy or 1 carboxy group(s),  
       R 3  stands for a                    
       R 4  stands for a straight-chain, branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 -C 30  alkyl chain, which optionally is interrupted by 1-10 oxygen atoms, 1 phenylene group, 1 phenylenoxy group and/or optionally substituted by 1-5 hydroxy, 1-3 carboxy, 1-phenyl group(s),  
       R 5  stands for a hydrogen atom or for R 4 ,  
       U 6  stands for a straight-chain, branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 -C 20  alkylene group optionally containing 1-5 imino, 1-3 phenylene, 1-3 phenylenoxy, 1-3 phenylenimino, 1-5 amide, 1-2 hydrazide, 1-5 carbonyl, 1-5 ethylenoxy, 1 urea, 1 thiourea, 1—2 carboxyalkylimino, 1-2 ester groups; 1-10 oxygen, 1-5 sulfur and/or 1-5 nitrogen atom(s) and/or optionally substituted by 1-5 hydroxy, 1-2 mercapto, 1-5 oxo, 1-5 thioxo, 1-3 carboxy, 1-5 carboxyalkyl, 1-5 ester and/or 1-3 amino group(s), whereby the phenylene groups that are optionally contained can be substituted by 1-2 carboxy, 1-2 sulfo or 1-2 hydroxy groups,  
       T stands for a —CO—α, —NHCO—α or —NHCS—α group and  
       α stands for the bonding site to the terminal nitrogen atoms of the last generation, of reproduction unit W.  
     
     
       5. The method of claim  1 , wherein the contrast agent has a molecular weight of 10,000 to 80,000 daltons. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim  1 , wherein the contrast agent is administered parenterally. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim  1 , wherein the contrast agent is administered interstitially. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim  1 , wherein the contrast agent is administered subcutaneously.